10667: It is part of the Sunnah to turn one’s face towards the khateeb and look at him

During the Friday khutbah, some of the worshippers look at the khateeb; some look straight ahead; some look at the ground; and some close their eyes. Is there a specific Sunnah regarding this matter?

Praise be to
Allaah.

It was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth that one of the companions
of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: when the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mounted the minbar, we would
turn our faces towards him.

(al-Silsilat al_Saheehah by al-Albaani,
no. 2080)

It was narrated that Abaan ibn ‘Abd-Allaah
al-Bajili said: I saw ‘Udayy ibn Thaabit turning to face the imaam when
he stood to deliver the khutbah. I said to him, I saw you turn your
face towards the imaam. He said, I saw the Companions of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) doing that.

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn
Mas’ood said: when the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mounted the minbar, we would
turn our faces towards him him. This was narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who
said, in the same chapter there are reports narrated from Ibn ‘Umar
and Muhammad ibn al-Fadl. According to the scholars among the companions
of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and others, this is to be
followed. They regard it as mustahabb to turn to face the imaam when
he delivers the khutbah. This is the view of Sufyaan al-Thawri, al-Shaafa’i,
Ahmad and Ishaaq.

It was narrated that Yahyaa ibn Sa’eed
al-Ansaari said: “The Sunnah when the imaam sits on the minbar on Friday
is for all the people to turn their faces towards him.”

It was narrated from Naafi’ that Ibn
‘Umar used to finish his tasbeeh before
the imaam came out; when he came out, he would turn to face him before
the imaam even sat down.

Al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on
him) compiled these ahaadeeth in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, no.
2080, and commented on them.

It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah
be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sat on the minbar and we
sat around him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 921)

Al-Bukhaari narrated the hadeeth in “Chapter:
The imaam facing the people, and the people turning their faces towards
the imaam when he delivers the khutbah, and Ibn ‘Umar and Anas (may
Allaah be pleased with them) turning their faces towards the imaam.”

The point of the hadeeth is that the
fact that they sat around him to listen to his words implies that they
were looking at him in most cases. This is not affected by what was
said earlier about the khateeb standing during the khutbah, because
this implies that he used to speak whilst he was sitting in a high place
and they were sitting at a lower point. If that was the case at times
other than the khutbah, then it is more appropriate to do that at the
time of the khutbah because there is the command to listen to it attentively.

He said:

“One of the reasons for their turning
their faces towards the imaam is to facilitate their listening to his
words, and to observe good manners when listening to him. If a person
turn his face towards him with the proper physical posture and a focused
mind, that will better enable them to understand his preaching and is
in accordance with the reason why the khateeb is commanded to stand.”